Automobile safety device



M. DOUIAK AILITONIOBILE SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED $53.13, 1922.

Patented May 23, 1922.

STAT

MARIA norman, or New venir, n. Y.

AUTOMOBLE SAFETY DEVICE.

Larnaca.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lila-rented May 23, 19.22,

Application filed February 13, 1922. Serial No. 536,133.

To all u 710m 'it may concern Be it known that l, MARIA DoUJAii, a citi-Zen of Hungary, residing at New York, in the county of New York andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomobile Safety Devices, of which the following is a specifica- Vuseat night to indicate when one object is struck.

For furthercomprehension of the inven tion, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a side view of an automobile to which myimproved device has been attached.

F ig. 2 is a front view of the device in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a detail side view, with parts broken away showing theoperative connec tion between the fender and back element.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary elevation showing the contacts for signaldevice.

ln the present improved construction l provide a pair of rigid arms 10which are rigidly secured as set forth in my previous patent under theautomobile body 11. These arms have inclined forked extremities l0 inwhich the frame elements of the fender proper and co-operating back arepivoted. These frame elements are indicated at le and 15 respectivelyand are of general U- shape, the endsI of the legs being pivotallyattached to the forks 10 at 16 and 17. The legs of the frame elements 14and 15 have gear segments 13 and 19 respectively formed thereon andmeshing with each other to cause the two frame elements to swingoppositely in unison. Attached to these frame elements are nets 20 and21 respectively, made of wire or other suitable material, and

which may be joined by an intermediate loose netting 22.

The horizontal bar 1d of the fender frame member le is preferablycovered with a rubber tubing 25 to protect the person struck fromdamage, while a series of rollers 26 are mounted thereon to allow thebar to run along the road without digging thereinto.

The fender and its co-operating back member occupy the position shown infull lines in Fig. 1 when not in use, being moved to the dotted lineposition when an object `is to be picked up.` The parts are held iii theinoperative position shown by means of a rigid link 28 attached at itsforward end to an arm 27 on one of the legs of the frame element 14. andat its rear end to a lever 29 pivoted to a bracket 30 on the floor ofthe automobile. This lever 29 has a rigid for- .wardly projecting finger32 which engages vover a shoulder 33 formed on a foot lever 34, spring35 holding the foot lever in operative relation to the finger 32.Attached at one end to the link 28 and at its opposite end to the bodyof the automobile is a coiled tension spring 3G which normally urges thelink 28 in a direction to move the parts to the operative position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1. I

lt is believed that the manner of operation of my improved device willbe clear from the foregoing description. In the normal position of theparts the fender acts as a bumper. as in my previous patent, forprotecting the radiator, lamps, and front of the vehicle generally. lfncase of danger of striking a person, or any other movable ohject whichmight be injured, or might injure the vehicle if struck, the driverdepresses the foot lever 34, freeing the shoulder 33 thereon from 'thefinger 32 on lever 29. The tension spring 3G, connected to link 23,throws the fender element down and the cooperating back element up.` tothe positions shown in dotted lines in 1, providing both a bottom memberto pick up the object or individual struck and a back element whichprevents the individual or object object is struck by the fender, thisbeing in tended more particularly for use at night, when lack of lightprevents objects in the path of the automobile being readily seen,

i and the automobile runs with the fender in lowered position. Thisdevice comprises a pair of resilient arms such as el() iixed to to closethe contacts when a weight rests 4on the fender.

These Contact members l2 and 43 form a switch for controlling an electric lamp #la which acts as the signal means to indicate to the driverthat an object has been struck.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. In combination with a motor vehicle, hinged fender and back elements,and operative connections therebetween to cause them to swing oppositelyin unison, said connections comprising meshing gear seg ments.

2. In combination with a motor vehicle, hinged fender and back elements,meshing gear segments causing said fender and back elements to moveoppositely in unison, a link connected at one end to said lenderelement, a lever to which the other end of said link is connected, afinger projecting from said lever, and a root pedal having a detentshoulder engaging said lever.`

3. In combination with a motor vehicle, hinged fender and back elements,meshing gear segments causing said fender and back elements to moveoppositely in unison, a link connected at one end to said fenderelement, a lever to which the other end of said link is connected, alfinger projecting from said lever, and a foot pedal having a detentshoulder engaging said lever, and a spring connected to said link andurging the fender to lowered position.

Ll. In combination with a motor vehicle, a hinged fender element, aresilient device adapted to hold said fender slightly spaced 'lj'rom theground when lowered, an electric lamp, and a switch controlling saidlamp, and comprising a pair 0Ip Contact members one ci which is operatedby said resilient device, when a weight rests onthe fender.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature.

MARIA DOJAK.

